Personality and early susceptibility to Covid‐19 in the United Kingdom

Bibliographic Data

ID12397306
AuthorsKanazawa (0000-0003-3786-8797, Department of Management London School of Economics and Political Science London UK, corresponding author)
Year2021
Volume32
Issue4
Pages786-795
Publication date2021-10-27
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Community & Applied Social Psychology (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1052-9284 • E-ISSN: 1099-1298
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1002/casp.2578
PMID34898962
OpenAlexW3208735044
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited18

This paper takes advantage of a unique dataset with a prospectively longitudinal, nationally representative sample ( n = 5,178) that began in 1958 and has information on COVID-19 health status in 2020 to examine the effect of Big Five personality traits on compliance with social distancing requirements and contraction of COVID-19. The results show some consistency with epidemiological recommendations (Conscientious individuals were more likely to maintain social distance and less likely to contract COVID-19; men were less likely to comply and more likely to contract) but more inconsistency (Agreeable individuals were more likely to comply with social distancing requirements yet more likely to contract COVID-19; Open and Neurotic individuals were no less likely to comply yet more likely to contract COVID-19). The results highlight the importance of Big Five personality factors for behaviour in the global pandemic and may call into question the universal effectiveness of social distancing requirements for all individuals. However, the small number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 during the early months of the pandemic requires caution in interpretation of the results. Please refer to the Supplementary Material section to find this article's Community and Social Impact Statement

Big Five personality traits · Consistency (knowledge bases · Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19 · Neuroticism · Pandemic · Personality · Social distance · COVID-19 and Mental Health · COVID-19 Pandemic Impacts · Medicine · Personality Traits and Psychology · Psychology · Social Psychology

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